Drowning in "Stuff"
12-31-2012, 11:05 AM
#21
Power Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Reno, Nv
Posts: 16,523
Here is the link to what mine looks like. It has more fabric in the shelves and there is the cabinets put above the seing desk now. But, it has stayed organized and easy to find things. Click on the link below...
http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...ar-t61710.html
http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...ar-t61710.html
12-31-2012, 01:18 PM
#23
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Maine-ly Florida
Posts: 3,917
It's always tempting to take a pretty box, save it and put sewing supplies in it. That's the way you get 5 boxes with thread and you only look at one.
Take your supplies out and group them by type- needles, pins, scissors, thread, buttons, etc. This gives you an idea of how much you currently have of everything. Then go to Walmart (I like their prices for plastic storage) and purchase however many boxes you need per catagory. I find that buying the same box for all makes for neater storage.
One important thing to buy is a flat plastic box with a lid of about 8x11 or so, around $3.00 for your UFO or the current project you're working on. Put your pieces in the box and work from it. That way, at day's end, you pile all the pieces back in, put the cover on and put it away.
Find an inexpensive bookcase on which to stack all your boxes and resist the idea of cluttering it up...if you work with a system like this, it will make it easy to find your stuff and easy to keep it clean.
Take your supplies out and group them by type- needles, pins, scissors, thread, buttons, etc. This gives you an idea of how much you currently have of everything. Then go to Walmart (I like their prices for plastic storage) and purchase however many boxes you need per catagory. I find that buying the same box for all makes for neater storage.
One important thing to buy is a flat plastic box with a lid of about 8x11 or so, around $3.00 for your UFO or the current project you're working on. Put your pieces in the box and work from it. That way, at day's end, you pile all the pieces back in, put the cover on and put it away.
Find an inexpensive bookcase on which to stack all your boxes and resist the idea of cluttering it up...if you work with a system like this, it will make it easy to find your stuff and easy to keep it clean.
12-31-2012, 01:52 PM
#24
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: North Pole
Posts: 1,643
Here is the link to what mine looks like. It has more fabric in the shelves and there is the cabinets put above the seing desk now. But, it has stayed organized and easy to find things. Click on the link below...
http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...ar-t61710.html
http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...ar-t61710.html
12-31-2012, 02:05 PM
#25
Power Poster
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: PA
Posts: 10,703
The more room you have the more space there is to fill! It just happens that way. My solution is to keep storage to a minimum so i actually have a place to spread out fabric and patterns and layouts. first choose a place for a design wall and make it as big as you can.
Place your sewing machine as close to this as possible and then place your ironing surface. next place an all purpose table for design and cutting near that. Any left over space can be utilized with shelves, book case. If you can go all the way up with shelves that would be great.
My space is geared toward the work area rather than storage and if storage is going to be a problem you may want to consider altering the way you like to work. Do only one project at a time or just a few you have space for.
Hang as many things on a wall space as possible near the work area, like peg board to hang stuff rather than shoved in drawers where things go to get lost.
With all the info you will get from QB, you will gather lots of tips to make your new space workable and most important, enjoyable.
have a great time planning.
peace
Place your sewing machine as close to this as possible and then place your ironing surface. next place an all purpose table for design and cutting near that. Any left over space can be utilized with shelves, book case. If you can go all the way up with shelves that would be great.
My space is geared toward the work area rather than storage and if storage is going to be a problem you may want to consider altering the way you like to work. Do only one project at a time or just a few you have space for.
Hang as many things on a wall space as possible near the work area, like peg board to hang stuff rather than shoved in drawers where things go to get lost.
With all the info you will get from QB, you will gather lots of tips to make your new space workable and most important, enjoyable.
have a great time planning.
peace
01-01-2013, 07:07 AM
#26
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Lansing, MI
Posts: 1,038
The REALLY important thing is to put your stuff back into the labeled drawers when finished for the day. Taking the 10-15 minutes to tidy up daily will pay off big time......just like walking into a clean kitchen every morning. It took me a long time to develop the habit of putting things back but I no longer spend time searching for scissors or buying duplicates because the original item was "lost" in piles of other stuff. Consider hanging up pegboard. It is amazing the amount of rulers, hoops, scissors, etc can be placed on a 4x4 foot sheet of pegboard. I use a dogfood clip to keep all sewing catalogs together and hang the clip to a specific hook on the pegboard. No more searching for the latest Jo-Ann flyer.
How I organize? Not being able to afford nice wood cabinets, I bought plastic drawers (when on sale at Joanns) and organize scraps by color. Also keep UFOs in plastic bins and labelled. My fabric has been stored on shelves DH put up for me and store them in plastic bins sorted by color, an area for themes (ie Christmas, etc.). BUT, I'm now switching this over to boards but still keeping on the shelves. I've bought foam core boards from the dollar store but then decided to ask at the cutting table for empty fabric boards then just cut them down.
Good luck and have fun in your new space !
01-01-2013, 07:21 AM
#27
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Richmond, VA
Posts: 601
I have purchased several plastic bin rolling carts over the years. I keep my stash by color and you can see thru the front of the drawer. You can also stack two by just not putting a top on one, nor the wheels on the other. Last time I wanted one I found it for $10 at Target. I can slide up to 4 large stacked drawers under the old door I use for a work surface.
01-08-2013, 10:17 AM
#28
Power Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Reno, Nv
Posts: 16,523
It is very easy to find anything I look for now. The L shaped desk was bought at a garage sale from a business that was closing. It has tons of nice drawers on the outside edges.
Oh, I had hubby put a floressent light under the new wall hung cabinets above the sewing desk. It is great! I can see what I am sewing so much easier now.
The fabric drawers come in many colors at Lowes. You don't have to go with the green.
Last edited by RedGarnet222; 01-08-2013 at 10:32 AM.
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